FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The use of encoded data placed on certain types of records is advantageous in that a large amount of information can be placed in a relatively small area. Also, encoded information can be kept confidential and revealed only to persons having the appropriate decoding apparatus.
Prior to the present invention, the only type of records that could best utilize the benefits of having encoded data placed thereon were records where the data did not change over the life of the record; or where there were relatively large time gaps before the record or such encoded data became outdated. Such records, which include price tags, package identifiers, or train car identifiers for example, did not require frequent updating of the data. Another alternative was to make the record large enough to accommodate additional encoded data representations for supplementing the information from time to time.
There are several types of records where the benefits of having encoded data thereon were offset by the necessity of frequent updating of the encoded information. For example, health cards and records could beneficially include encoded data because they required large amounts of necessary information and the need for confidentiality. Charge cards, where the remaining available credit could be printed on the card as each purchase is made, could beneficially include encoded data. Admission tickets useful for multiple events could include the used or unused events as encoded data on the ticket. This would include tickets for seminars with several workshops, or an admission ticket to an amusement park that includes several rides and shows. In all of the above instances, the necessity of frequent updating of the encoded information would either result in an oversized cumbersome record, or the frequent replacement of the record with a new record having updated encoded data.